Wire-fence machine



N 0 S ml. A W A. J.

(No Model.)

WIRE FENCE MACHINE. No. 601,187.

Patented Mar. 22,1898.

UNITED STATES PATENTA OFFICE.

JAMES A. WATSON, OF DECATUR, TEXAS. v

WIRE-FENCE MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,187, dated March 22, 1898.

i Application filed .Tune 30, 1897. l

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. WATSON, residing at Decatur, in the county of Wise and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Wire-Fence Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to certain improvements in wire-fence machines.

An object of the invention is to provide a wire-fence machine so constructed that the wire can be conveniently carried around and wound upon or unwound from reels carried by the machine in an easy and quick manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wire-fence machine carrying a wirestretching device and also certain mechanism whereby the stretcher 'can be operated when desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wire-fence machine simple in construction and composed of a limited number of durable parts.

With these and other objects in View the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the'claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure lis a perspective view. showing my machine in operative position. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. v Fig. 3 is an end elevation. i Fig. 4 is a detail View of a support secured in spring-bearings in the rear of the machine, and Fig. is an end elevation of the reel.

The same letters of reference indicate like parts Wherever they occur throughout the different views.

In the practical embodiment of my invention I have shown a wire-fence machine comprising the base A, mounted upon the wheel C, the shafts B being formed integrally with the base portions A.

D indicates thevstandards, secured in any suitable manner to the base A and carrying the rails or panels E and E'.

F indicates brace-rods securing the lower rails E' to the forward portion, so as .to strengthen the frame, and G represents a cross portion in the front part of the machine, to which the singletree H issecured.

Mounted within bearings in the rails E' are and L.

Serial No. 642,990. (No model.)

the shafts I and I', the former having a cog- `vided with a tension-chain T of any desired length secured thereto, the purpose of which will be shortly explained.

P indicates the spools to retain the wire, two being usually employed, the same being mounted rigidly upon a shaft L', and while I have shown two in Fig. 3 it is of course evident that a single one might be employed of such size as to fill the intervening' space between the side rails of the machine.

The crank O is interchangeable and may be used in connection with either of the shafts I, L, or L'. In winding up slack wire the crank is applied to the end L2 of the shaft L'. Otherwise it is applied to the shafts I It should be noticed that the rear uprights of the machine extend a distance above the top rails thereof, and these upright portions are provided on their interior surfaces with a vertical slot R,having a spring S located in the lower portion thereof, and Q indicates a roller mounted in said slot above the spring, across which the wires are adapted to pass, the springs S permitting a yielding upward movement of the roller as the wire travels over the same, so that therewill be no possibility of the wire slacking or looping on the wire-reel as the same is being unwound therefrom. The main shaft I' has a small ratchet-wheel K keyed thereto, the teeth thereof being adapted to be engaged by a pawl K', so that -when the wire is drawn tight all possible slacking thereof will be prevented.

- In Fig. 5 I have shown in end elevation a reel P, which can be of such a size as to take up the space between the bearings in which the spools are mounted, this reel being keyed upon shaft L', having cog-wheel N, adapted to mesh with the cog-wheel M', which is adapted to be operated by a crank O when it is desired to wind or gather up the old wire.

ing-chain T and tightened by turning the crank O, thus revolving the shaft carrying the chain. Then a portion of wire fence has been constructed and the wires stretched and fastened thereto, the machine can be moved forward and will be ready for another operation.

The machine herein described is simple in construction, and by its use l am not only enabled to provide means whereby the new wire can be strung and the old gathered up, but also provide certain mechanism to stretch the wire, so that after the strands have been secured to the post a wire felice of great strength and rigidity will have been built.

The many advantages of the construction herein set forth will be obvious to any one skilled in the art to which this class of inventions relates, and while l have specifically and minutely set forth the peculiar construction and arrangements of the parts constituting the machine, yet it is evident that various slight changes might be made in the forms and constructions thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence l do not care to limit myself to the exact construction herein set forth.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. The combination with a wire-fence machine comprising a vehicle having a body portion and shafts mounted upon wheels, uprights extending from the body portion carrying longitudinal rails, shafts mounted in bearin gs in said rails provided with cog-wheels meshing with each other, a crank to be fitted on the end of either of said shafts whereby they may be rotated, springs arranged in vertical slots in the rear uprights, a roller resting in said slots and on the said springs so as to be freely movable therein, said roller being adapted to prevent looping of the wire carried by the reels as the shafts are being revolved, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with a wire-fence machine comprising a vehicle having the body portion and shafts mounted upon wheels, uprights extending from said body portion car rying longitudinal rails, shafts mounted upon and between said rails provided with cogwheels adapted to mesh with each other, a crank for imparting motion to the shafts carrying said cog-wheels, reels mounted upon the upper rear shaft, the uprights in the rear portion of the frame having vertical slots arranged in the inner faces thereof and a springjournaled roller mounted within said slots, as and for the purpose herein shown and set forth.

3. A wire-fence machine comprising a body portion having shafts,wheels upon which said body portion is mounted, standards upon said frame carrying longitudinal rails, shafts mounted within bearings in said rails provided with cog-wheels adapted to mesh with each other, an interchangeable crank for imparting motion to said shafts, reels secured upon the rear upperm ost shaft of the machine, the rear uprights having vertical slots formed in the inner faces thereof, springs arranged within said vertical slots, and a spring-journaled roller mounted within said slots, all substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

4. A wire-fence machine comprising a vehicle having a body portion and shafts mounted upon suitable wheels, a cross-bar secured to the forward part of the shafts, a singletree secured to said cross-bar, two brace-rods extending froin said cross-bar to forward uprights of the frame, longitudinal rails secured upon said uprights, shafts mounted within bearings in said rails, cog-wheels upon said shafts adapted to mesh with each other, an interchangeable crank for said shafts, a tensionchain secured to the forward lower shaft,wire reels mounted between the upper rails, a roller journaled between the uprights on the rear part of the machine, said uprights having vertical slots in the inner faces thereof, sprin gs arranged within said slots adapt-cd to support said roller over which the wire from the reel is adapted to be drawn, all substantiallyas and for the purpose herein shown and set forth.

5. A wire-fence" machine comprising the body portion having shafts, the wheels upon which said body portion is mounted, the uprights extendingtherefrom carrying a crossrail, the shafts mounted within bearings in said rails provided with the cog-wheels adapted to mesh one with another, means for imparting motion to said shaft, the inner reels arranged in bearings in the uppermost rail of the machine, the rear uprights having Vertical slots formed in the inner faces thereof, a spring arranged within said vertical slots, and an adjustable roller mounted therein, as and for the purpose described.

G. A wire-fence machine comprising a vehiclehaving the body portion and shafts mounted upon suitable wheels, a cross-bar secured to the forward part of the shafts, a sin gletree secured to said cross-bar two brace-rods extending from said cross-bar to the uprights carrying the rails above the body portion of the machine, the shafts mounted within bearings in the railing provided within the cogwheels adapted to mesh with one another, a oranksecured to one of said shafts to impart motion to the main shaft carrying a drawingchain, wire-reels mounted in the upper rail, the uprights on the rear part of the machine having the vertical slots arranged within the inner face thereof, the spring arranged within said slots, and an adjustable roller mounted therein over which the wire from the reel is adapted to be drawn in themanner and for the purpose described.

JAMES A. \VATSON. lVitnesses:

J. S. GILILLAN, W. ll. BULLoeK.

IOC' 

